This week on the nailed it or failed it post we made the Key Lime Verrine from the Bachour book. If you have been following along with this series of posts you know that last week we made the manchego cheesecake that was covered with graham cracker crumbs. Those same graham cracker crumbs are used in the verrine. As any kitchen should, we are always trying to make the most of our ingredients, and this seemed like a logical next recipe from the book. Later in the week, we had friends in town and used those same crumbs to make a key lime pie. I’m now down to one lime and a little bit of graham cracker left. I’d say, all in all, a pretty good use of ingredients this week!
Key Lime Verrine
The Key Lime Verrine is simple to make. I cut the recipe down to make twelve servings. I was going to go with six, but once you try them, you will want a second. They are served in individual mini glass dishes, with an ounce of key lime curd topped with graham cracker crumbs and blueberries. This is the perfect mini Key Lime Pie dessert!
The hardest part of the recipe was squeezing the juice out of the tiny little key limes. The second hardest part was not eating all the key lime curd before I could get them plated. To me that says this is a simple Key Lime dessert recipe!
Ingredients
- Key Lime Juice & Zest
- Unsalted Butter
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Honey
- All Purpose Flour
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Cake Flour
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon
- Eggs
What is a Verrine?
A verrine is an appetizer or dessert composed of decadent layers served in a small thick glass. The word “Verrine” is French for “small glass.” The transparency of the glass allows you to see the colorful layers involved, so presentation is highly valued in this popular French dessert.
What’s the Difference Between Key Lime and Regular Limes?
One important note for this recipe is not to substitute regular limes for Key Limes. You can taste the difference. The Key Lime is known for its aromatic scent and a more tart, acidic flavor.
Key Limes are grown in Mexico, Florida, California, and the West Indies. They are smaller, slightly yellow in color, lighter skinned, and contain more seeds. When a recipe calls for key limes, I try my best to find them. The limes you typically find in your grocery store are called Persian Limes. They’re dark green, oval shaped, and contain more juice than the Key Lime.
Simply put the tangy aroma of Key Limes really takes this dessert to the next level, so don’t trade them out. Tart, sweet and intensely citrus flavored is what this dessert is all about.
Need more ideas for how to use Key Limes? I like to recommend "The Flavor Bible," by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. This book has thousands of recommendations for flavor combinations. I believe it’s an essential book every cook needs in their kitchen!
How to make Key Lime Verrine
First, you’ll make the graham cracker crumbs. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Use the paddle attachment with your stand mixer to cream butter, sugars and honey together in a bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and fold into creamed butter until smooth. Then roll out the graham cracker dough between two sheets of parchment paper to ½ inch thickness. Remove the top sheet and bake on a ½ sheet tray until golden and firm.
Next, you’ll make the Key Lime Curd. In a double boiler combine sugar, eggs, Key Lime zest and juice. Whisking often, cook for about 10-12 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, adding one piece of butter at a time, until smooth. Strain and pour 1 ounce of curd into 12 glasses. Refrigerate Key Lime curd overnight until set.
When you’re ready to serve, top the glasses of Key Lime Curd with 1 tablespoon of graham cracker crumbs. Garnish with blueberries brushed with Valrhona Cristal Absolute neutral glaze.
How To Serve Key Lime Verrine
To serve this Key Lime Verrine, I garnished each glass with blueberries brushed with Valrhona Cristal Absolute neutral glaze.
If you don’t like blueberries or don’t have them on hand, you could top this Key Lime Verrine with raspberries or strawberries. A drizzle of lime caramel or even coconut whip cream would also be a nice compliment to this tangy dessert.
Give this Key Lime Verrine a try! We would love to hear how you do with the recipe.
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Key Lime Verrine
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 340 g unsalted butter softened
- 142 g brown sugar
- 113 g granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 198.5 g all purpose flour
- 142 g cake flour
- 142 g whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Key Lime Curd
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tablespoon key lime zest
- ½ cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
- 113 g unsalted butter cubed
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crumbs
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, sugars and honey. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and fold into creamed butter until smooth.
- Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to ½ inch thickness, remove the top sheet, and bake on a ½ sheet tray until golden and firm.
- Cool completely before grinding in a food processer to crumbs.
Key Lime Curd
- Combine sugar, eggs, zest and juice over a double boiler. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, whisking often, until thickened.
- Remove from heat and whisk in butter, one piece at a time, until smooth.
- Strain and pour 1 ounce of curd into 12 glasses. Refrigerate overnight until set
Assembly
- Top glasses of Key Lime Curd with 1 tablespoon graham cracker crumbs. Garnish with blueberries brushed with Valrhona Cristal Absolute neutral glaze.
Notes
Nutrition
Here Are a Few of Our Favorite Citrus Flavored Recipes:
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